The Aftermath
by crusanite
Summary: Your run-of-the-mill Coronation Day celebration comes and goes without any major issues, but the same could not be said for the after-celebrations...  Or my brain as I continue to write this...
1. Chapter 1

"Your highness-"

"Mmm?"

"The Ambassador of Ba-"

"'Your highness'? Wow, what happened to 'The Traitor Prince'?"

"Shh! What was that?"

"The Ambassador of Ba Sing Se is returning to his villa, and would like to express his gratitude for-"

"Finally! I thought that old windbag would never leave!"

"Sokka!"

"What? It's true! Not to mention he was drinking Zuzu here out house and home!"

"He'd like to what?"

"Express his gratitude for your hospitality and to wish you a-"

"Ping! What are you doing? I can speak for myself! Go and wait by the palanquin. Quickly, now!" Ping shot his master a disapproving look, bowed low to each of the occupants of the round wooden table and left with his nose in the air. A huge man with shoulders as wide as a rhino's staggered over to the table, his arm outstretched.

The Firelord rose out of his seat with a definite wobble and waved groggily at his guest. He made to take a step forward, instead keeling over backwards into his still-seated wife. The table erupted into fits of giggles. Zuko was eventually tipped back upright like an unbalanced urn, and extended his own arm.

"Ambassador Gong-Li," The giddy tone of Zuko's voice didn't match at all his expression, which was so ridiculously sombre that a casual observer would have thought someone had died. "Thank you for honouring my house with your presence." The big man clasped his arm in response, shaking it so enthusiastically that Zuko lolled about like a rag doll. A lopsided grin was plastered across Gong-Li's brown face, surrounded by a short pepper-grey beard.

"The pleasure has been entirely mine, majesty!" He boomed. "Dining in the Firelord's own home, who would have thought it, eh? And with the Avatar to boot!" From across the table Aang cheered, raising his goblet. Its purplish contents sloshed all over the tablecloth, to a fresh outburst of laughter.

"I think, Mr. Almighty Avatar," purred Katara, reaching for his cup. "You've had a little too much to drink." Aang silenced her with a swift kiss on the cheek, and after two attempts managed to climb successfully to his feet. He took the Gong-Li's other arm.

"Good to see you again, Ambassador!"

"Avatar Aang!" exclaimed the Ambassador, swaying dangerously on the spot. His expression suddenly brightened. "Would you do me the honour of accompanying me to my villa?" Sokka choked on his wine. Ignoring him, Gong-Li released the Firelord from his grip (who promptly slumped to the floor, cradling his wrist) and gave Aang a knee-buckling pat on the back. "Yes!" He roared. "My villa, sir! My wife makes outstanding rice cakes! Best in the Earth Kingdom! I understand you're a fan of rice cakes?"

"But we're not in the Earth Kingdom." sniggered the Avatar.

"Oh." The Ambassador's face fell, and he promptly dropped Aang's arm. "Oh yes, you're quite right. Well, never mind then."

"But," said Aang brightly. "If you like I shall walk you out!"

"What a courteous young man! I say," he leant in close. "Have I introduced you to my daughters? I have seven, four of which are about your age, and very-"

"My, would you look at the time!" said Katara loudly.

"Indeed, Master Katara! The time indeed! I shall be off! Thank you again, Firelord Zuko, for your wonderful wine and hospitality. I shall see you all soon, with any luck! Oh! And do give my best to your uncle!" With a clumsy bow, the Ambassador wove his way out of the hall. Aang waved groggily at his back, before falling back into his seat.

Hours earlier, the Firelord's Palace had been bursting at the seams with nobility from every nation, celebrating the fifth anniversary of Zuko's coronation: the corridors exploding with excited chatter, raucous drunken laughter and music. Now, in the early hours of the morning, it was all but empty, the enormous dining hall spotted with round tables devoid of all signs of life but for the faint clinking of plates being cleared. In the centre of the hall the Firelord and his closest companions remained at their table, ignoring the few servants that still skittered about the edges of the room. That is, until Sokka's goblet was empty.

"You know, Aang," slurred Sokka, leaning across the red tablecloth towards the Avatar seated opposite. "I think the old man was coming on to you," Suki, who by all appearances had appeared to be asleep on her husband's shoulder, jerked awake and punched him in the ribs.

While Sokka swore, Aang merely laughed, and wrapped an arm about Katara's waist. The waterbender smirked at her brother's distress, shuffling her seat a little closer to the Avatar's. Quite suddenly, she appeared to find the wooden beads of Aang's necklace fascinating, and tugged at it insistently.

Next to her sat Toph, too busy bending Zuko's goblet into amusing shapes to notice any of the action, her feet propped up on the table. Opposite her sat the Firelord and Lady. Zuko had managed to crawl back to his seat since the departure of Ambassador Gong-Li, and now lay face-flat on the table. Mai's head was propped up by her elbow, a bemused smile on her face as she absently traced the rim of her cup with her index finger.

With a scowl, Toph tossed the mutilated goblet over her shoulder. "Stop being such a sap, Sokka," she said, grinning nastily. Sokka's eyes popped, and he opened his mouth to respond. He wheezed something indiscernible. Toph cupped her hand next to her ear. "What was that? I couldn't catch that witty comeback through your gasps of pain."

"Aw, leave him be, Toph," yawned Suki, snuggling against Sokka's shoulder once more. "He's just sore because he got beaten up by a girl, again. Isn't that right, sweetie?" Sokka sniffed loudly.

Toph blinked. "Why should he be sore?" She crossed her arms. "He should be used to it by now!" Sokka's face turned a blotchy red, and he jumped onto the table to shrieks of surprise around the table.

"I challenge you to an Agni Kai!" he yelled, pointing a finger dramatically at the earthbender.

"Sokka," drawled Mai. "You idiot. You have to be a firebender to fight an Agni Kai."

"Yeah, Sokka," sneered Toph. "Stop making a scene." While the occupants of the Firelord's table laughed, Sokka sulkily climbed back into his seat. Suddenly, he looked at Suki, as if he had just remembered she was there. He grinned, and leant over to wind his fingers in her hair.

"I'm glad you grew your hair out," he said slyly. Suki smiled seductively, moving closer.

"Yeah?" she crooned. "And why is that?" Sokka nipped at her ear.

"It gives me something to hold onto…" Toph made a loud gagging noise. Suki's giggles continued.

"Well," she said, shoving Sokka off of her and back into his seat, where he sat grinning dazedly. "I think you should grow out your goatee." Sokka wrinkled his nose.

"Why would you want that? Then I'd look like Zuko!" Their eyes fell on the sleeping Firelord.

"It gives me something to hold onto," purred Mai, her eyes sliding across the table to her husband. Zuko snored loudly.

"Well, I don't think you'll be holding onto anything tonight." sniffed Toph, not bothering to disguise the disgust in her voice.

At that moment, Aang leapt to his feet with a shout that caused everyone to start. Except for Zuko.

"What's wrong?" asked Katara, alarmed. Aang slapped his palm to his forehead.

"I forgot!"

"Forgot what?" Aang shook his head sadly, and Katara frowned. She folded her arms, having since lost her initial air of fright. "Forgot what?" she asked again.

"I forgot that I said I'd walk Ambassador Gong-Li out." The seriousness of Aang's worry over such a trivial matter made Katara laugh.

"Well, you can go and find him if you like. You know, bring him back here, and try again."

"But Katara," whined Sokka. "We only just got rid of him!"

Ignoring Sokka, Aang turned from Katara, thoughtfully rubbing his chin. "I wonder if I could catch up to his palanquin bearers before-" His pacing was stopped abruptly by Katara yanking on the hem of his robes. He blinked down at her, confused. She floated to her feet and grabbed the front of his robes. Smiling wolfishly, Katara yanked him down to eye level.

"Forget about it," she purred. Aang grinned.

"Yes ma'am," he murmured. He took a few steps backwards, and Katara, still hooked firmly to the front of his robes, stumbled after him. "He was the last guest though, so it really would have been polite to see him go."

Katara furrowed her brow in false deliberation. "The last guest you say?" Her hands snaked their way up his chest and around his neck. Aang tightened his grip on her waist, pulling her closer. "Well then," she breathed. "This presents an interesting situation."

"Which is?" he muttered, the smile clear in his voice.

"We're alone."

"I see." Aang moved to close the small gap between them

"Hey, lovebirds! You're not _that_ alone! That's my sister, Aang! Married or not, I still have a- Are you even listening to me?"

"No," whispered Katara, slowly rising onto her tiptoes. Sokka frowned, sitting upright despite Suki's groan of protest.

"None of that! Aang, I'm warning you, you'd better not- Don't you even think about-! Ugh..."

"Too late!" said Toph brightly, folding her arms behind her head. Sokka fell back into his seat, defeated.

"I'm going to need more wine," he growled.

"Zuko's not going to be happy when he wakes up," Mai speculated, taking a sip from her goblet. "Especially if you keep drinking his best wine, hangover besides. Honestly, I think you've drunk more than all the guests put together!"

"That may be so," he said darkly, a pained expression on his face. "But it's for medicinal reasons." Suki frowned.

"Medicinal? Is it your leg again?" She asked. Sokka shook his head, jerking his head towards Aang and Katara (so tightly pressed together that they swayed on the spot). Toph mimed vomiting.

"You and me both, Snoozles," she said, dragging her own goblet towards her. She frowned. "Empty. Typical."

"I think it's sweet," protested Suki, her eyes still on the kissing couple, who were now pressed up against a column. "Although, I admit they can get a bit much sometimes …" A minute slipped by and Aang and Katara showed no sign of letting up, despite Sokka's gradually purpling complexion. Finally, Mai sighed.

"Yeah, this is becoming weird. Reminds me of the time I found Ty Lee and Azula-" she stopped abruptly, aware that every conscious eye at the table was now fixed upon her. "I'll just get the wine," she said quickly, craning her neck over her shoulder. She caught the eye of a servant who was scuttling towards the kitchen. He hurried over, giving the Fire Lady a low bow.

"Majesty?" he had a high-pitched, wheezy voice, and a gaunt ashen face which made his beady little eyes appear to pop out of his skull.

"More wine, please." said Mai slowly, eyeing the man warily. He smiled nastily, and dipped his head.

"Of course, Fire Lady Mai." All eyes followed the retreating figure of the servant as he ducked under a curtain and out of sight.

"Where'd you pick him up, Mai?" said Sokka in a low voice. "He looks like he rose from the grave." Mai gave him a hard look.

"Don't ask me, Zuko hired extra staff for the party. I've never seen him before in my life."

"But," said Toph, scratching her nose. "That doesn't change the fact that he was creepy."

"Guys, it's unfair to judge people on their appearances." Everyone jumped. Aang, unnoticed by the rest, had slipped back into his seat while they had been talking. Katara sat in his lap, an arm draped around his neck. Their expressions were both slightly glazed, and Katara's carefully composed bun had been knocked askew. Aang's lips had red smeared across them, the source of which could be found on the equally smeared painted lips of the girl in his lap.

"That may be," continued Sokka, waving an arm in the direction of the servant, while Suki gingerly passed Aang a napkin, pointing to his lips. "But you have to admit, that guy was just plain scary!"Aang blushed, gratefully accepting the napkin from Suki and rubbing at his lips feverishly. Katara giggled, and began to play with his necklace again.

Aang frowned, and opened his mouth to protest. Much to everyone's relief, Katara interrupted what everyone suspected was going to be a long Avatar-style speech on ethics. "He did look pretty creepy, Aang. Admit it, you thought so to." Aang smiled sheepishly.

"Well, a little bit, I guess… But the monks said-" Katara pressed and finger to his lips.

"Thank the spirits," groaned Toph. "I am so glad you two are together, you have no idea. No one else can shut him up like you, Sweetness." However, when Aang pulled Katara closer to nibble at her neck, and Katara's delighted giggles reverberated about the hall, Toph slammed her head into the table with a dull thud. She raised a finger. "I take it back!"

Suki laughed at Sokka's sour expression. "Sokka, relax."

"But he's eating my sister! Look!"

"Well, kissing in public's not so bad, you know," said Suki innocently, walking her fingers along his collar bone.

"Are you serious? It's disgusting! Not to mention rude!" Suki huffed, falling back into her seat. She folded her arms sulkily and shot Sokka a filthy look.

"Looks like someone's sleeping alone tonight."

"Wait, what?" Sokka tore his eyes from the happy couple opposite. "Why?" he whined. Suki shot him a pointed look. "No, seriously, why? I don't- what did I do? Suki!"

"Wine!" gasped Toph, lunging for her goblet as the creepy-looking servant returned. He scuttled about the table, filling up all of the cups nodding to each muffled "thank you" he received, before bowing to each and leaving in silence. Sokka snapped his fingers at Aang, and pointed towards the place where the man had vanished. Aang looked up, and Katara glared at her brother.

"See? Creepy!" Aang shrugged, and Katara slipped off his lap and back into her own seat. Mai lifted the goblet to her nose. She pulled a face.

"I did ask for wine, right?"

"I thought so," said Katara, tilting her head curiously. Sokka laughed.

"Come on, Katara. Like you would have been able to focus on what Mai was saying! You looked pretty busy to me!" Katara blushed furiously, scowling.

"Well," continued Mai. "This certainly smells stronger than-" Aang coughed and spluttered, his face turning bright red. He clutched at his throat between wheezy laughs.

"N-not w-w-wi-wine." He croaked. Katara laughed, and looked into his goblet. She gasped.

"Did you just down the whole cup? Aang!" Still coughing, Aang managed a guilty smile of affirmation.

"Just as well," said Sokka, scooping up his own goblet. "I'm going to need it with you two eating at each other's faces every two minutes!" Katara raised an eyebrow, while Aang coughed.

"I'll drink to that!" said Toph, raising her goblet. "Here's to staying sane!"

"To ignorant boyfriends!" said Suki, lifting her own cup and earning a thoroughly confused look from Sokka.

"To the fifth anniversary of the coronation of Firelord Zuko!" There was a pause, in which Zuko remained in his comatose state on the table.

"I think he's had enough toasts, don't you?" snorted Toph. "Cheers, everyo-" At that moment, Aang's quiet coughing suddenly turned violent and chesty.

"Aang, are you alright?" Katara looked alarmed.

"So he can't down his drink," shrugged Mai, her brow creased in amused concern.

"Guys," Toph frowned, swinging her feet onto the floor and sitting upright. "I not so-" Aang was on his feet with a loud scrape of his chair, hand covering his mouth.

"F-f-f-fi-fine, r-really… Outsi-i-i-ide f-for a m-m-minute…" The rest of the table watched him blankly as he staggered towards the door, coughing violently. He made it half way across the room before he dropped to his knees.

"Aang!" Katara skidded to his side in a split second, while the others and their drunken limbs struggled to rise. Aang was on all fours now, his breath coming in short shallow gasps between deep, chesty coughs. He clutched at his throat and his teeth were bared. Katara kneeled beside him, a hand on his back, her face white.

"Aang, what's wrong? Tell me what's wrong, I can't help you if don't-"

"H-h-hu-hurts," he choked.

"Where? Where does it hurt?" Aang continued to cough as though his lungs were trying to escape through his throat. She cast a panicked look over her shoulder back at her companions, whom she was furious to see were still standing by the table, frozen with shock. "Don't just stand there, get help!" She shrieked. Mai snapped out of her dream-like state, and disappeared. Katara turned back to Aang, in time to see a thick line of blood drizzle from the corner of his lips and pool on the marble floor. He shuddered, and collapsed. "AANG!"


	2. Chapter 2

"Why is it whenever something happens to him, you're always there?" Katara lifted her face from her hands, not bothering to turn around to face the speaker.

"What?" Her voice was hoarse.

"Every time he's managed to get himself into a life-threatening situation, which I might add is pretty frequently, you're around."

"So?"

"So… I don't know, is it that you just never leave him alone, or-" His jaw clamped shut as Katara swivelled around in her seat to face him. Her eyes were bloodshot, her eyelids pink and swollen, underlined with heavy purple bags. Crystalized salt glinted on her cheeks, though by her set, exhausted expression he could tell she had already shed all her tears. "You look awful," he said honestly. Katara blinked at him.

"What are you trying to say, Zuko?" she asked wearily. Realizing he hadn't picked his previous words very well, the Firelord scratched at his goatee nervously, trying to mould an appropriate, sensitive-sounding sentence.

"Well, uh, I guess… He's pretty lucky. To, uh, to have you around to… You know, to… Fix him." There was a long silence. Zuko started to fiddle with his goatee again, and looked at the floor. Despite years of being force-fed his uncle's infinite wisdom, he had yet to have any luck in recollecting any of it under the appropriate circumstances. He cleared his throat uncomfortably, feeling the weight of Katara's stare. "I'll go now," he said stiffly, slipping through the doorframe. "Sorry-"

"Thank you." He hesitated, glancing over his shoulder. "For everything." Her expression hadn't changed. And yet there was something in her voice that told him she had understood the meaning behind the clumsy words.

"I'll send for some more rags." And that was the end of the conversation.

Katara frowned, turning to face the bed once more. Between the twisted red sheets she had smoothed out hundreds of times during the week lay a pale, ashen ghost of a man. His breath came in shallow, deathly rattles, so quiet that sometimes Katara had to lean in to hear if they still came. Sure enough, to her immense relief she had heard them every time.

In, out, in out. But so faint.

"He's right you know." She winced, squeezing her eyes shut. "You are always there." Katara pulled her knees to her chest, burying her face in the warm blue fabric.

"Go away," she muttered. "This is hard enough without you here."

"Have I upset you?"

"No," mumbled Katara into her skirt. "No, you haven't."

"Then what's wrong?" Hot breath on the rim of her jaw caused Katara to shudder. "Tell me what's wrong. I can't help you if I don't know what's wrong." Her breath hitched in her throat as long, warm fingers traced the back of her neck, weaving themselves into a comfortable tangle in her hair.

"Stop it," she whispered.

"I only want to help."

"I don't want your help!" Katara's head snapped up, her face twisted in agony. "Don't you get it?"

"No." Jerking to her feet, Katara stalked towards the window. It was open, and letting in a chill. She slammed it shut.

The room was pitched into a reddish darkness, but for the eerie orange glow of a lantern on a table by the bed. It illuminated the various curiously curved metal instruments beside it, which glinted horribly in the low light. Katara suddenly felt sick. Halfway back to her chair, she stopped, having seemingly changed her mind about the window. She started for it again, before another intangible force prevented her from reaching it. And so Katara paced back and forwards over the rug, snarling like a caged animal.

"What's wrong, Katara?" The voice was soft, gentle; full of empathy and reassurance. She stopped, shoulders sagging in defeat. She slowly turned on the spot to face a tall young man dressed in orange standing on the opposite side of the room. He smiled gently, his grey eyes crinkling pleasantly as he did so. His skin wasn't sallow, he wasn't ghostly. He was as solid and warm and full of life as he had been at the coronation celebration. Looking him square in the eyes, Katara whispered:

"Why can't I save you?" Suddenly, he was in front of her, firmly gripping her shoulders.

"But you already have. So many times." Katara twitched as he pressed his forehead to hers. She drew a sharp breath, and her eyes slid shut.

"That's not what I mean."

"Then what do you mean?"

"Why," Katara's voice suddenly cracked with rage. "Why can't I stop it?"

"Stop what?"

"Stop this from happening!" Katara screamed, pushing away from him. She stomped towards the window again. "To me! To you! You say I'm always there to save you, but what if I'm not? What then? Why can't I save you once, and let that be enough!" She had run out of tears days ago. Instead, her eyes began to itch something terrible, and she rubbed at them as she whirled around to face him once again. "Why can't-" Her hands fell to her sides, and the breath abruptly left her lungs.

He had vanished, leaving her standing alone in the middle of the dark room.

All alone but for the feeble breaths of his living counterpart.


	3. Chapter 3

**I... Don't like this chapter. It was hard. And weird. And messy. And DRAMATIC. Sheesh. I need to comfort-eat after that sesssion...**

* * *

_Whispers, shadows and blurs._

_Muffled voices, and the numbed awareness that someone was moving his limbs for him._

_And then suddenly there was pain. Excruciating, burning pain: like he was being sawn in two. His insides were on fire._

_He screamed._

_Arms descended to pin him down, keep him still. He writhed and twisted, arching his back, his fingers scrabbling at the fabric beneath them._

_The pain ceased. The hands slackened. He gasped for air as his muscles slowly relaxed. The sound of the blood pounding in his ears shut out the voices completely. Tears stung his eyes, his head reeled. He choked back sobs of relief._

_Something soft moved against his cheek. He dimly wondered what it was. While he pondered its identity, his limbs almost forgot to register the tightening of the hands. By the time he realized it was too late._

* * *

"I don't know if you'll remember anything." Seeing to the ugly red lines that zigzagged across his abdomen was all Katara could do at this point.

"But…" Everything humanely possible had been done about the rest, but whether it would prove to be enough still hung in the balance.

"I hope you don't." Aang had more than enough scars already, and so she would do her best to save him the anguish of another set.

About Katara's hands swirled dimly glowing mitts of water. They hovered barely an inch above his skin, making slow, deliberate strokes over the wounds. She had pulled her hair into a rough twist over her shoulder and out of the way. Without ceasing in her work, she dragged her knee onto the mattress to get a better angle. So far her patient had remained unresponsive, but in Katara's mind speaking to him kept her sane, despite the fact she knew how well it gave the opposite impression.

"And if," she continued, her eyes flickering to his unconscious face for an instant. "By some miracle you don't remember, please don't ask me about it."

* * *

_"On the bed, hurry!" With a mutual grunt, they swung the limp body onto the mattress. "Get the lamps!" Suki ripped open the drawer, tearing through its contents._

_"No spark rocks!" she gasped. Sokka swore._

_"Hello? We're in the Fire Nation! They have people for that, remember?"_

_"Toph, now is not the right time!"_

_"Don't you tell me it's not the right time! For your information, I was making a suggestion: find a firebender! And speaking of time, we don't have any, and if you're just going to waste what little we do have on-"_

_"Guys!"_

_"I know, I know! Where's Mai?"_

_"I'm here."_

_"And?" There was a shocked silence as all eyes (seeing or not) fell on the hunched old man behind her. Sokka was across the room in a matter of seconds. Suddenly, he had the shrivelled figure pinned by the throat to the wall, his little feet twitching an inch from the ground._

_"Sokka!" Suki rushed forwards. Toph flung out an arm to stop her, a hard expression on her face._

_"Let him have it," she spat. Sokka exploded._

_"WHO DO YOU WORK FOR?" The little man said nothing, his mouth opening and closing like a fish. His face was slowly turning blue._

_"Sokka, stop it! You're killing him!"_

_"Get off of him, he-"_

_"ANSWER ME! WHO DO YOU WORK FOR?"_

_"He works for me!" Sokka's jaw dropped, and he released the old man._

_"Mai?" he spluttered, stumbling back as the Fire Lady bent to help the man (gasping for breath and rubbing his neck) to his feet. "What-"_

_"Get out of the way." Half supporting the old man, Mai shoved past Sokka, whose expression remained livid._

_"Are you insane?"_

_"Are you? Just trust me!" Suki and Toph weren't convinced either._

_"Mai, I don't know-"_

_"That's the guy who poisoned Aang, and you're just going to let him stroll in here and finish the job?" At this point, the creepy man had reached the edge of the bed, and leaned over the form of the unconscious Avatar. Toph spun on the spot. "Get away from him!"_

_"Majesty, I'll need a knife, I think. Something sharp enough to-"_

_"Slit his throat?"_

_"-get through the fabric. I'll need boiled wrappings, catgut, if you have any. I'll do what I can, but the situation is not optimal-"_

_"The situation is not optimal! Is that the understatement of the century!"_

_"-and we will need to find the royal physicians as soon as possible. You're sure none can be located immediately?" Mai shook her head._

_"It's Coronation Day."_

_"I understand. In that case, we shall have to make do. But I must start immediately. I'll need something to stop the blood flow-"_

_"I can do that." Katara's voice was quiet, but cut through the babble of raised voices like a knife. Kneeling beside the bed, she raised her head. Her face was pale and set._

_"Now how in world could she possibly-"_

_"Katara, are you sure about this? I thought you didn't-"_

_"I am."_

_"Thank you, Master Katara. Your help is appreciated. Fire Lady Mai, could you attend to the instruments please-" Mai turned on her heel and left the room. "-and I'll need light to operate by." Sokka stiffened._

_"Operate?"_

_"Yeah, we noticed the lack of light, thanks for pointing out. Only, there's a problem: your stupid country doesn't seem to have any spark rocks-"_

_"I'll find some." Suki shot out the door after Mai._

_"Master Katara, if you'll remain by his head… Yes, perfect."_

_"Wait, did you say operate?"_

_"Yes, operate. That wine in his stomach will go directly into his bloodstream if it is not removed immediately."_

_"Why can't he just… You know, throw it up?"_

_"Well, for one thing he's unconscious-"_

_"Straight into his bloodstream?"_

_"Yes." To everyone's surprise, Katara sighed in relief._

_"Katara, I don't think that's anything to be happy about!"_

_"If I can stop the blood flow, what's to say I can't isolate the poison?"_

_"And how do you plan on getting it out?" Silence. Katara mumbled something under her breath._

_"What was that?"_

_"A… A cut."_

_"How large?" Katara gaped at the old man, horrified._

_"How la-? No, we can't, I-"_

_"Katara, it sounds like we have two options: both involve cutting him open-"_

_"Don't say it like that!"_

_"-only one means we'll have to do a little less slicing and dicing-"_

_"Stop saying that!"_

_"-as opposed to potentially killing him by poking the wrong-"_

_"SHUT UP!" Sokka shrunk under his sister's fury._

_"Master Katara, how large?" Katara found herself staring at the face of the unconscious airbender lying motionless on the bed. This is stupid, she thought suddenly. Why am I wasting time worrying about cutting him, when I could be saving him? With a shaking finger, she slowly traced a long line along his abdomen. "Very well." Sokka snapped his fingers._

_"What about anaesthetic?"_

_"I doubt that's necessary. He's out cold."_

_"But what if he wakes up?"_

_"He won't."_

_"But say he does!" The little man was silent._

_"Then you had better hope," he said quietly, "That you can hold him down."_

_

* * *

_

"And if I do remember?"

"If you do remember… Then we won't talk about it."

"That doesn't sound healthy."

"It's better that way."

"I thought we were supposed to trust each other with these sorts of things." Katara winced, visibly hurt by the words she had only imagined.

"Of course we are," she said softly. "That's what friends are for." She abruptly pulled back from the bed, depositing the water in a bowl on the edge of the bed with a careless flick of her wrists. Frowning, she examined her handiwork. At a glance the thin white scars were all but invisible. But Katara knew he would notice. And so would she. The water flowed about her palms once more, and she pulled herself up onto the bed, swinging her leg over his knees this time.

"Katara, don't." She ignored the voice in her ear. "You've done more than enough already."

"No, not yet I haven't," she muttered, taking a deep breath. The glow of the water intensified to the extent that her hands were now a mass of white light. She screwed her eyes shut. Focusing. The light brightened.

"Stop. You'll hurt yourself."

Across the room, her untouched teacup began to rattle, its contents now spherical and rising into the air. The cup slipped, smashing on the hard wooden floor. Unnoticed.

"Katara, please. You don't have anything to prove."

"Yes," Whispered Katara, her face now drained of colour, her shoulders shaking with the effort. "Yes I do." About her the very air rippled and condensed, water drawn from every possible source. The Fire Lilies on the windowsill crumbled to dust, the rain tearing through the paper shutters and shooting towards the glowing white hands of the waterbender like tiny silver arrows.

As every available drop was pulled into Katara's grasp, the lamp hissed and spat, throwing the room into darkness. Now the only source of light came from the quickly brightening light about her hands. The water began to hum.

"Enough. You've already sucked the room dry." Except, that wasn't true. There was still one more source of water left. "Don't try it." But she was far beyond rational thinking now. Her entire being focused on one mission. She would succeed, even if it meant…

Slowly, painfully, the tips of her fingers began to shrivel and blacken.

"KATARA!" Someone seized her fast about the waist. Her stomach lurched as she was dragged from the bed and onto the floor. The water swelled and burst like a balloon, flooding over the bed and across the floor, and the light abruptly vanished.

Darkness.

She screamed, lashing out blindly at her attacker, scrambling for the bedpost. She hadn't finished. Not yet. She couldn't stop now- Someone had grabbed her by the ankle. Instinctively, she kicked, relishing with savage pleasure the crunch of bone beneath her heel. Her fingers clawed at the sheets, trying desperately to pull herself back onto the mattress.

Back to Aang.

Back to redemption.

She howled in disappointment as she was dragged away from the bed once again, bringing the sheets with her, kicking and twisting with all her might. There was a heavy thud as something fell to the floor: a cabinet, perhaps.

Katara somehow managed to scramble to her feet, only to have her wrists seized fast and twisted behind her back. A shriek of pain escaped her, quickly silenced when she was slammed face-first against the wall. She winced as, suddenly, the orange lamp sprung back to life, accompanied by shouts of horror from the doorway. She blinked feverishly, adjusting her eyes to the sudden light. For a moment there was nothing but silence, broken only by the heavy breathing of Katara and her attacker. Finally, she lifted her head to the doorframe.

Zuko, Mai, Suki and Toph. All wearing equally stunned expressions. She glanced over her shoulder: holding her wrists firmly behind her, chest heaving, nose askew and blood dripping from his bottom lip… Sokka. Taking a lungful of air, Katara began to squirm with renewed vigour.

"Kuhtawa," gurgled her brother through a mouthful of blood. "Sdopid!" When it became clear that Katara could potentially escape from his grip, there was a flurry of movement as the others hurried into the room. Suki prised Sokka from his iron grip on Katara's wrists; Toph, Mai and Zuko surrounded the cornered waterbender. Sokka spat into the bowl offered to him by Suki. He craned his neck over his human shield, meeting his sister's wild eyes.

"What were you doing?" he yelled, wiping the remaining blood from his lip.

"Nothing!" Katara screamed back, swivelling on the spot.

"That pretty display didn't sound like nothing," scowled Toph, crossing her arms.

"Just… Go away!" Katara turned back to face the wall, cradling the shrivelled tips of her fingers. Then, in a much quieter voice: "Leave me alone."

"Not until you tell me what you were-"

"What's wrong with her fingers?" Silence. Katara cast a guilty look over her shoulder, before reverting her gaze to the wall.

"What's wrong," repeated Mai slowly, "With her fingers?"

"Nothing! Get out!"

"They look… Burned."

"No, they're-KATARA!"

"I was healing! Healing!" A tear slid down Katara's cheek, but she made no move to wipe it away.

"That's it. You need to get out of this room. Three weeks is long enough."

"No!"

"Katara, you're not thinking right. Aang will be fine, you don't need to be here for-"

"I'm not doing it for Aang!"

"Well that makes everything better, doesn't it?" said Toph angrily. "He'll love to hear that!"

"So you're staying locked up in here for fun?"

"Yes! NO! I-"

"Why are you still here?"

"BECAUSE IT'S MY FAULT!" Katara choked on her tears, still facing the wall. "It's my fault he's like this!"

"Katara," said Sokka seriously. "This isn't your-"

"The scars, Sokka! It's the scars!" She sobbed. "I… I just can't get rid of them."

"Of course you can't," said Zuko simply. "They're scars!" Katara wailed. Mai shot him a stern look.

"Zuko, you're not helping."

"No, no!" Zuko said quickly. "What I meant is-" He was interrupted by a small groan from the back of the room. All focus switched to the bed. The empty bed. A very tense pause ensued, broken at last by a soft croak:

"…Guys?"

"AANG!" Toph vaulted over the bed, wrapping the floor-ridden airbender in a bone-crushing hug.

"He lives!" she crowed.

"Ow…"

"Oh, sorry."

"Aang, buddy! Welcome back to the land of the living!"

"Good to see you're awake."

"Finally."

"How do you feel?" Aang shook his head groggily, to clear his still spinning vision. He grinned up at his friends.

"Pretty awful, to tell the truth."

"Nothing a good dosage of sea prunes can't fix!" said Sokka cheerily, clapping him on the shoulder. Aang laughed nervously.

"Sure," he said, curiously glancing about at his surroundings as if he had just realized where he was. "Just, before you to poison me again, can anyone tell me why I'm on the floor?" The four exchanged dark glances, leaving poor Aang looking even more bewildered.

"It's a long story," said Zuko hesitantly.

"Oh… That doesn't sound good…" Suddenly, his face brightened, catching sight of something over their shoulders. "Katara!" Aang's grin slowly faded. "Katara?" The door slammed. "Katara..?" Aang blinked up at his silent friends, hurt and confusion etched all over his face.


	4. Chapter 4

"How much do you remember?"

"Everything."

"How much is everything?" He dropped his gaze.

"Everything."

Aang sat bolt upright, chest heaving. The room was dark, but for a beam of white moonlight that pooled on the end of his bed. He ran shaking fingers over his head, dazed, feeling the sweat gather and run from his fingertips in an icy trickle down the back of his neck. With a jolt, he remembered why he woke.

His fingers scrabbled clumsily at the front of his tunic, eventually revealing the smooth, untarnished skin beneath. Aang prodded his stomach, unconvinced. He had been so sure. He had been cut, he remembered. But what he couldn't recall is how no trace of the incident remained. Still, though the lack of scars bothered him, he was relieved, in a way.

Aang sighed, dropping his head back onto the pillow. He blinked at the ceiling for a good few minutes, waiting for sleep to come. But the lasting nerves from the dreamed memory still twisted too raw in his gut. He grimaced as he realized he would be awake for a while.

He rolled onto his side, facing the long, undisturbed other half of the bed. That hurt him more than the cutting had. And no one would explain it to him either. He closed his eyes as he recalled his explosion earlier that afternoon. He regretted his response to Sokka's words the second it had left his mouth, but he had been frustrated.

"Katara doesn't want to see you." Why not? What had he done wrong? He hadn't seen a glimpse of her in the two days since she'd walked out of the room. The look on Katara's face had been burned into the front of his mind: guilt. Aang's throat tightened painfully. He didn't understand her reaction at all. How could he? He had expected her to be glad, as pleased to see him as he had been to see her. What had happened while he was unconscious?

His train of thought was abruptly interrupted by a flicker of movement in the darkened doorway. His body stiffened with anticipation. He waited, holding his breath, to see if he had only imagined it. There was a long pause, and his stomach flipped as he heard a floorboard below him creak. Blood pounded in his ears as the side of the bed dipped under some invisible weight.

They were back to finish the job.

Aang drew in a long, slow breath through his nose, ready to blast his attacker across the room. His skin prickled as the figure leaned over him. A surge of energy rippled up his spine.

Three.

Two.

One- Long, soft fingers brushed across his cheek.

Aang choked in surprise. The fingers were quickly retracted, and Aang struggled to sit up through the tangle of sheets.

"I didn't mean to wake you. Sorry."

"It's alright, I was already awake."

"Oh." Aang bit his lip.

"Katara, what are you doing here?" he blurted. Katara's silhouette, framed by a thin outline of pale moonlight, stiffened.

"I wanted to see you."

"But-" Katara edged closer. Very close. The smell of her hair suddenly filled Aang's nostrils, and the words melted on his tongue. Sitting in the dark, her expression was inscrutable, and yet in their proximity he could make out the shadow of cheeks, a nose…

…and the lips which had been inching expectantly towards his.

The whirlwind of questions and jumbled emotions that had been bouncing about inside his skull evaporated. His rehearsed demands of an explanation for avoiding him faded to nothing. They were replaced by a pleasant sense of light-headedness. "I missed you," he whispered, tucking her hair behind her ear. Katara's lips twitched a smile.

Then, (he wasn't quite unsure exactly how it had happened) Aang was on his back, Katara straddling his hips. Her hands were braced on the pillow behind his head, her hair falling like a curtain over her shoulder. Aang inhaled sharply. His heart throbbed painfully against a ribcage that suddenly seemed too small to contain it. Though this course of action wasn't what he'd expected when he had heard careful footsteps enter his room in the dead of night, Aang was perfectly content to go along with it. Katara paused a moment, as if drinking in the sight of him.

For Aang the silence seemed to last an eternity. Perhaps sensing the growing tension, Katara mercifully ended his torment by sealing her mouth over his.

Aang started to sit up, deepening the kiss, his hands sliding up and along her thighs, hips, waist, tightening about her back. Relief… Her torturous embargo appeared to be over. Whatever Aang had done, not that it really mattered to him at this point in time, had been forgiven, and here she was, right where she should be.

Katara opened her mouth against his (which eagerly complied) and wrapped her arms around his neck, scooting herself closer so that she was fully pressed against him. This subtle movement of her hips elicited a moan from Aang, whose hands clenched on her back involuntarily.

Their kisses quickly gained momentum, and it wasn't long before Katara was pushing open his tunic, the contact of her fingers on his skin causing Aang to shiver. They were colder than the rest of her hand, which was practically on fire. Aang pulled away, panting. Too cold. Before he could speak, Katara's hands abruptly left his chest and in an instant were on his shoulders, shoving him back into the mattress.

"Katara-" He was silenced with a hot, lingering kiss. He let his arms fall from her waist, but she didn't appear to notice.

"Kat-" The rest of her name came as a groan. Katara smiled against his mouth, running her tongue over his bottom lip again. Aang seriously considered giving in to her, but his curiosity got the better of him.

She made a noise of protest as he sat upright once more, gently prising her hands from his shoulders. She stilled as he took her fingers in his, and her breath hitched when he suddenly dragged them into the moonlight. Aang's jaw dropped.

"What happened to your-" With a yelp Aang tipped over the edge of the bed as she shot past him, landing with a nasty crunch on the hard wooden floor. Upside down, Aang watched the hem of her dress whip around the corner of the doorframe, the door shutting behind her with a snap. He groaned and rolled onto his back.

If the last time this had happened Aang had been confused, it was nothing compared to how he felt now.


	5. Chapter 5

Hi guys!

First off, nice to see you're interested! My ego is purring.

Secondly, I have to apologise. I've jumped the gun a bit here, with attempting to write a multi-chaptered story.

Because, frankly, I'm not really as good a writer as I'd like to think, and it's probably best that I revert back to the good old oneshot.

FOR NOW!

Have no fear, this will be continued!

Just… Not now.


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